100 Easy Seasonal Arts and Crafts for Kids

Crafting with kids is a rewarding experience, both for kids and adults. Sure, there may be a huge mess to clean up afterward, but seeing the enjoyment on your child’s face as he crafts makes the clean up well worth it. There are an unlimited number of crafts you can make, but if you need help getting started we’ve compiled a list of 100 simple crafts covering all of the seasons and many of the holidays throughout the year. Hate following instructions to the letter? Don’t get locked in with the details of the craft; just use the directions as a jumping off point to create your own thing, your way.

New Year’s

When Christmas has passed but school hasn’t yet started, it’s not unusual for the kids to suddenly find themselves a little bored. The solution? Crafting. Here are 10 blogs explaining various New Year’s Eve and New Year’s crafts that the kids can make. To prepare for the New Year, let them dress up the house and make hats and noise makers – even if they won’t actually be making it ‘til midnight.

New Year’s Eve Poppers—Help your little ones make these simple treat poppers from Glued to My Crafts using cardboard tubes and tissue paper.

New Years’ Time Capsule—Decorate a shoe box to create your own time capsule with your kids that they can open up years down the road, as shown on Busy Bee Kids Crafts.

DIY Glowing Tree Lanterns—Make these glowing lanterns by Growing a Jeweled Rose to help the kids stay up to usher in the new year.

New Year Collage—Draw big open numbers depicting the New Year and let the kids use various craft items to fill in the numbers like they did on Activity Village.

Noisemaker Craft—You have to make noise when the clock hits midnight, so let your kids make these simple noisemakers from Crafts-For-All-Seasons.

Paper Hats—Tie in crafts with New Year’s resolutions by making these paper hats from So You Think You’re Crafty and decorate them with your goals for the new year.

New Year’s Resolution Wreath—Let the kids trace their hands on several different colors of paper and cut them out, then write their resolutions on them, like the ones on The Cubicle Chick.

New Year’s Eve Banner—Help the kids make this long sign to put up for your New Year’s Eve celebration, along with the other crafts from She Knows.

Paper Plate Noisemakers—These simple noisemakers from Ma, What’s for Dinner? can be made by kids of all ages and decorated to use when the clock strikes midnight.

Confetti Eggs—Help the kids make these confetti filled eggs to use when the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. See an example at RadMegan.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the day for love, and your kids will love making Valentines for their friends, family and teacher. In these 10 blogs you will be able to find a few ideas for Valentines and a bunch of ideas for decorating the house. These crafts use various supplies, most of which you probably already have on hand.

Paper Heart Wreath—Your kids can attach simple strips made into hearts together to make this splendid wreath by The Hybrid Chick.

Wax Paper Crayon Hearts—You’ll need to help the kids with this craft by I Am That Lady when it comes time to use the iron, but the rest of the project the kids can do on their own.

Deconstructed Valentines—Toddlers can practice their scissor skills while creating a Valentine craft with this project. Find the directions on Tinkerlab.

Heart Puzzle—While this puzzle may be simple to create, it might be harder to solve if you do it like they did on All You.

Jar of Hearts—Help your kids create a jar of hearts to give as a gift to someone they love on Valentine’s Day. Find the step-by-step instructions on The Outlaw Mom.

Owl Valentine Craft—Use some heart cut-outs to put together the adorable owl by This Simple Home.

Handprint Valentines—With some help from you, even older infants can help put these handprint valentines from The Idea Room together.

I Love You Stand Up Valentine’s Day Card—Using the example found on Celebrations, draw out this card and let the kids try their hand at these advanced scissor skills.

Valentine Heart Man—The Chirping Moms have come up with a clever craft that uses hearts and pipe cleaners.

Spring

Springtime is marked by nature waking up from its long winter nap with blooming flowers and chirping birds. With the spring season also comes Easter, which means there are eggs to color and bunnies to make. These 10 blogs show various spring craft ideas that will get your kids in the mood for spring, even if there’s a little snow still left on the ground. Help the kids make a birdhouse or a handprint sun to celebrate. You can use these projects to teach the kids about spring while they are having fun getting their hands messy.

Mod Podge a Birdhouse—Sew Country Chick shows how simple it is to use scraps of paper or fabric and some paint to decorate birdhouses with the kids.

Sunshine Spring Craft—Celebrate the sun getting warmer in the spring by making this handprint sun with the kids, as seen on Surviving a Teacher’s Salary.

Shaving Cream Eggs—Color the paper with the kids for these Easter eggs using shaving cream and food coloring. See the foamy pictures on Hands On as We Grow.

Cherry Blossom Spring Tree Craft—Teach the kids about the blossoms on the trees while creating this delightful centerpiece from Creekside Learning.

Rainbow Wind Catchers—Spring showers bring rainbows, but rainbows fade quickly. This year, use the tutorial on A Pretty Cool Life to make rainbows that stick around longer than a few minutes.

Pom Pom Bunnies—Baby bunnies are a hallmark of spring, and you can help the kids make their own furry friends by following the directions on Red Ted Art.

Tissue Paper Flowers—The old saying says that April showers bring May flowers, but you don’t have to wait ‘til May to fill your house with them. Instead, use Modern Mami for inspiration to create tissue flowers for around the home.

Flower Crown—Do you have kids that love to wear crowns? How about making this flower crown out of a paper plate from Enchanted Learning?

Decorated Terra Cotta Pots—Spring is all about planting and new growth, so have the kids decorate some pots that they can later plant something in. See the samples on Mama Smiles.

Bottle Cap Caterpillar Craft—Recycle some bottle caps while talking about caterpillars turning into butterflies during this craft by All Kids Network.

Independence Day

Red, white and blue screams patriotism and the 4th of July. This Independence Day, create simple crafts with the kids to keep them entertained until it’s time to watch the fireworks. These 10 blog posts include crafts that you can use to decorate for your annual barbeque or to give the kids something to play with.

Rocket Straws—You and the kids can make these anytime, but what better time of year to make them than around the 4th of July when rockets are shooting into the air anyway? This simple and fun craft can be found on Inner Child Fun.

Foam Firecracker Slingshot—The kids will love this craft that turns into a toy by Lolly Jane.

Fireworks in a Bottle—A simple craft for preschoolers, this project by No Twiddle Twaddle requires an empty disposable water bottle, glitter and other colorful bits.

Bottle Rocket Bouquet—Get the kids involved making the centerpiece for your holiday barbeque by making these bottle rockets from First Home Love Life.

Super Simple Flag Craft—Prepare some strips of red and white paper, a blue square and some star stickers to create the simple flag craft found on 3 Boys and a Dog.

Popsicle Stick Flags—You may need to help the kids cut some sticks for the field of blue, but otherwise let them paint the sticks and put together the flag like the one on Gingersnap Crafts.

Confetti Launcher—Let your school-aged kids try making the confetti launcher shown on Spoonful to get your party started.

Firework Painting—Learn and Grow Designs put together a simple, fun craft that uses a box and a rubber ball to make fireworks.

Uncle Sam Puppet—Grab a lunch sack and some paper and let the kids get to work making the bag look like Uncle Sam; for ideas check out iVillage Pregnancy & Parenting.

Rag Flags—Collect some sticks and some canvas drop cloth to paint a flag like the one seen on Family Chic, then attach it to a stick to wave during parades.

Summer

The dog days of summer are the perfect time for making crafts. Recycle an old CD to create a floating sparkly fish or make clothespin pinwheels to hook on the basket of a bike. Let them plant a few things in the garden and create some springy bugs to mark where they planted. Get a few kids together and let them make friendship bracelets out of balloons or craft sticks. These 10 blogs are full of crafts that will keep your kids busy all summer long.

Sequined CD Fish—Parents came up with this clever use for an old CD; all you need is some foam and sequins to make this sparkly fish to hang by the window.

Clothespin Pinwheels—Martha Stewart explains how to make these fun clothespin pinwheels.

Balloon Bracelet—Try these bright and colorful bracelets from Kiwi Crate.

Kids’ Garden Plant Markers—These clever and useful wiggly bugs from BHG can adorn any plant because the bottom is a golf tee that can be pressed into the soil.

Paper Bowl Jellyfish—Let the kids paint up some disposable bowls and glue or tape on some streamers to create mysterious looking jellyfish like the ones on First Palette.

Clothespin Dragonfly Magnets—Dragonflies are definitely a sign of summer, so why not gather up some clothespins to make these magnets from the The Crafty Crow?

Bee Kite—Making a professional looking kite is possible with these directions from Todays Parent.

Paper Fan People—You can print out the sheets from Mr. Printables for free to create these fan people.

Simple Concrete Stepping Stones—Homemade Simple has explained this stepping stone project in simple terms that make it an easy project for the whole family to make together.

Fall

Fall is marked by colorful leaves and air that has just a hint of chill. With the slight drop in temperatures, it’s also the perfect time to be outside, so go on a hike to pick up a few supplies for some nature-inspired crafts. Take a look at these 10 blogs for some fall-inspired crafts.

Autumn Tree Craft—There are several different ways to make this craft, so you can decide based on the age of your child which is more appropriate. See variations on DLTK.

Easy to Craft Fall Leaf Centerpiece—This project from HGTV involves spray paint, so you may want to have the kids find a branch from the yard and then you can spray it before they make leaves to decorate the tree.

Crinkled Tissue Paper Corn—Multi-colored corn is a staple in fall décor, so why not make some out of paper? Follow the steps on Apples 4 the Teacher.

Fall Leaves Garland—Decorate the house with this simple rustic garland from A Beautiful Mess.

Knuckle Print Pumpkins—The pumpkins on Putti’s World are perfect for the younger crafter since it only requires a knuckle print in orange followed by a fingerprint in green.

Nature Filled Sun Catcher—Go on a hike and have the kids select some small leaves and flowers, then come back and make this sun catcher from Blue Bird Lucy’s.

Paper Bag Fall Tree—Pikadilly Charm has come up with a clever craft that recycles a paper bag into a fall tree.

Pumpkin Seed Pumpkins—Ready to carve those pumpkins with the kids? Make sure to save the seeds to eat and to paint for this craft project from Baby Center.

Acorn Toadstools—There’s no better place to find instructions for making acorn toadstools than Twig and Toadstool.

Halloween

Have the kids help you dress up your house for Halloween by making some of these seasonal crafts. Creepy pine cone spiders that dangle from a tree or spooky paper cutouts hung in the window should give your home some Halloween flare. Dress up a pumpkin without the use of a knife and line the sidewalk with some Halloween nightlights. Check out these 10 blogs for crafts that are perfect for getting in the Halloween spirit.

Pine Cone Spiders—These clever creatures from The Magic Onions are made out of pine cones, pipe cleaners and googly eyes.

Spooky Paper Cutouts—Use the templates from Country Living to make these spooky paper cutouts.

Ghost Spoon Puppet—Get the kids to use their imaginations by putting on a show after making one of these ghost puppets from Kidspot.

Trick-or-Treat Jug—Instead of buying some sort of treat bag or bucket this year, why not let the kids recycle a milk jug and make their own, like the ones on TLC?

Marshmallow Skull Craft—An adult can help a younger child by drawing the skull outline, then have the kids glue the mini marshmallows on the lines, as shown on No Time for Flash Cards.

Simple Origami Bat—Follow the picture tutorial to teach your kids how to make these simple bats and create a mobile like the one on Be a Fun Mum.

Flower Pot Witch—Check out this craft on The Chirping Moms that uses a small pot and a bead for this clever witch.

Pumpkin Mummies—If you’re looking for a way to decorate your pumpkins without using a knife, this might be the solution. Hands on as We Grow has turned the pumpkins into mummies!

Easy Pumpkin Decorating—Paint your pumpkin black and let the kids stick on foam eyes to make it look like several eyes are peeking out of the dark, just like the ones on Sparkles and a Stove.

Thanksgiving

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Do you start making the turkey at the crack of dawn and fill the table with tons of tasty treats? This year, let the kids help out by putting them in charge of making Thanksgiving decorations. You’ll find plenty of Thanksgiving craft ideas in these 10 blogs.

Make a Pine Cone Turkey—Let the kids get busy making these the morning of Thanksgiving so that they can use them as place card holders; see Projects for Preschoolers for directions.

Thankful Turkey Plate Craft—Do this clever craft with your kids. Use the pattern to print the turkey and let the kids color it before putting it together with a paper plate and thankful thoughts, as shown on Danielle’s Place.

Easy Thanksgiving Napkin Rings—These napkin rings from Favecrafts are made out of felt.

Pinecone Pals—You can turn pinecones into the adorable turkeys found on Red Tricycle.

Thanksgiving Popcorn Turkey Craft—Get some food-grade plastic gloves, pop some corn and create these playful hand turkeys from Two Big Two Little.

Turkey T-Shirt—Looking for something to dress the kids in this Thanksgiving? Let them make their own turkey T-shirts that they can wear, like the ones on 123 Homeschool 4 Me.

Shape Turkeys—Practice shape recognition while the kids make these funny turkeys from Housing a Forest.

Thankful Trees—Remind everyone what the true meaning of Thanksgiving is by making thankful trees from Coffee Cups and Crayons.

Thankful Turkey—Another craft that can emphasize the ‘thankful’ part of Thanksgiving is recycling a milk jug into a turkey and giving it thankful feathers every day, as depicted on Learn Play Imagine.

10 Fat Turkey Puppets—Created to go along with the book 10 Fat Turkeys by Tony Johnston, the folks at Reading Confetti came up with these characters to help tell the story.

Winter

The chill of the north wind and the sparkle of snow add a magical aspect to the winter season. Get the kids started early on their snow fun by creating a snowman mobile and snowflakes out of paper plates. Mark the way to your house by making winter luminaries. Warm up the inside by creating the warm smell of cloves and orange with an orange pomander. Check out all the winter crafts noted in these 10 blogs.

Paper Plate Snowflakes—Whether you live in a place that gets snow or not, you can make your own snow by making this craft by Grandparents.

Easy Orange Pomanders—If you love the smell of the holidays, you will love the smell that these simple crafts from Craft Ideas give to your home.

Snowman Tutorial—Older kids can learn how to create a snowman picture using pastels on black paper like the artist did on Art Projects for Kids.

Glittering Snowballs—With simple yarn, glue, glitter and a balloon your kids can make their own snowballs for inside the house, as shown on Everything Preschool.

Homemade Snow Globes—Recycle a baby food jar or other small jar and turn it into an inexpensive snow globe like the ones on Crafts for Kids.

Snowman Mobile—Using a paper plate your kids can cut a spiral to make a simple snowman mobile like the one on Craft Jr.

Jingle Bracelets—Practice threading by letting the kids make these jingle bell bracelets from All Women Stalk with pipe cleaners, bells and beads.

Winter Luminary—Watch the video on Zui to learn how to make this simple luminary using a jar, tissue paper and glue.

Marshmallow Snowman—While it’s busy snowing outside let the kids make their own winter scene inside using marshmallows and the directions from Happy Home Fairy.

Craft Stick Snowman—Want to put those tons of craft sticks to use making a winter craft? Try this “frosty” snowman project from Serving Pink Lemonade.

Christmas

It’s the last holiday of the season, but it’s also the one that may be anticipated the most. When it’s Christmastime you want to deck your halls with wreaths and garlands, decorate your tree with ornaments and make cards for your loved ones near and far. With these 10 blogs you can keep the kids busy enjoying the season and helping you decorate the house.

Fabric and Wire Wreath—Use up some leftover fabric and get the kids busy making this holiday wreath created by Kinder Art.

Mini Christmas Lights—Kids can make these mini faux lights as a bracelet, or even use them to decorate a miniature tree. For directions see PBS.

Christmas Puppets—Urban Comfort has put together these simple adorable finger puppets for your kids to make.

Paint with a Christmas Tree—This Christmas tree painting is special because it’s painted with pine boughs from a Christmas tree. Find directions at The Ramblings of a Crazy Woman.